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A redacted copy of the SSA flatulence reprimand letter was posted to The Smoking Gun website.
It sounds like a "Dilbert" cartoon come to life, but the Social Security Administration has taken back a reprimand it gave to an employee who was written up for "passing gas and releasing an unpleasant odor" that created a "hostile work environment."
The official charge was "Conduct unbecoming a Federal employee." More specifically, "On September 7, 2012, and continuing, you disrupted the work floor by passing gas and releasing an unpleasant odor."
A copy of the letter, along with a picture of the employee at an amusement park standing next to an actor in a Pepe Le Pew costume, was published on TheSmokingGun.com.
The letter included a timestamped log accurate to the minute, documenting 60 separate-gas passing incidents from the employee in his office in three months, or about 9 per day.
The average person passes gas 14 times per day.
Medical conditions such as Crohn's disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and lactose intolerance, can cause sufferers to have chronic gas problems. The employee told management he was lactose intolerant.
"You have submitted medical evidence that you have some medical conditions," the letter read, "however, nothing that you have submitted has indicated that you would have uncontrollable flatulence. It is my belief that you can control this condition."
Several of the employee's coworkers in the "module," or work area, had complained to management about the smell. A supervisor, Deputy Division Director and a Module Manager all spoke with the employee on separate occasions about his need to control his flatulence.
"You said that you would try to pass gas and that you would turn your fan on when it happens," the Module Manager wrote of a discussion that took place on May 18, 2012. "I explained to you that turning on the fan would cause the smell to spread and worsen the air quality in the module."
On August 14th the employee promised to purchase "Gas X" in order to limit his gas output.
Another incident, dated August 15th, noted "you have continued to release the odor and it has become intolerable to work in the module creating a hostile work environment for all your coworkers."
The letter quoted guidelines from the "Annual Personnel Reminder" and "2012 SSA/AFGE National Agreement" which the Module Manager claimed the employee had violated, including "courtesy and consideration while dealing with coworkers" and "refrain from coercive, intimidating, loud or abusive behavior."
If the "misconduct" was continued after the reprimand letter, it could lead to "more severe disciplinary action...including, removal from federal service."
Reached for comment, SSA spokesperson Mark Hinkle told TODAY, "A reprimand was issued to the employee; however, when senior management became aware of the reprimand it was rescinded on December 17, 2012. The agency cannot comment further due to privacy concerns. "
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Oh poop!
i thought this was about me for a second, but i am then reminded i never turn off my fan.
Yeah, nothing like letting one rip with the fan on and watching the next person who walks by your cube stumble....
I was diagnosed with Crohn's in 1985. And yes certain foods can cause problems. Over the years I learned which foods to limit or avoid. But I still had problems. Turned out I am also lactose intolerant. In fact most adults are lactose intolerant to some degree.
Switching to lactose free milk and no longer eating soft cheeses made a huge difference.
If you know certain foods cause a problem you should at least wait to have them on your days off.
Free the Flatulent Three!!
I just did! excuse me.
If this guy worked on a military base, chances are he would have gotten an award for this.
Gas warfare has been outlawed by international convention for quite a while.
OK, so some have referred to mine as Weapons of Ass Destruction, sorry
I still remember one of the Marines in my shop decided to pass gas into a parts baggie (like a ziploc bag), and stored it for the next day......only to let someone unsuspecting open it.... HILARIOUS! (and disgusting)... but I couldn't stop laughing.
I retired from Federal civil service several years ago. As a Supervisor, I was told by my manager to counsel a subordinate who (supposedly) had bad breath. I told the manager to use her authority in the chain of command to counsel my staff member if she was so offended (had to wonder why she'd be getting so up-close and personal). Never heard that b.s. again. The Feds allow some groups of employees to work from home. Why wasn't that option offered to the guy with a documented illness?
What about fart breaks, like the smokers have? I feel some sort of discrimination theory brewing here.
Sounds like he brought it upon himself. Control the "audio" and the odor could be anyone's. "Wasn't me - prove it."
He who smelt it dealt it.
The dirty dog smells his own hole first!
My dog farts and scares himself.
My husband farts and scares the dog, the whole household runs for the hills--foul gas permeates the entire room, and to think I cook his dinner, so its my fault I make him eat his vegetables?
Dogs are kind of like old men in the mall, they just get the walkin farts and pretend they don't know what everyone is gagging about
Then after farting he gives me this sad look like it isn't his fault. And they are foul!
At least you have warnings. My dogs will never move an inch and suddenly its like Napalm being set off. Funny, my 11 year old cat has never had this problem. Or any cat I've had for that matter. W*F?
Its true!! I'm thinking cats don't fart. Any vets in the house?
My OCD wouldn't let me let this go without finding out. Now.. I must question why someone would create a site with this name.. but
http://docatsfart.com/
Yes, I am a long time cat owner, and they fart, and it's HORRIBLE, way worse than a dog. Even worse than the smell is the fact that they do it on purpose, wrinkle their noses, then walk away, sometimes trying to blame it on you.
Cats fart. And if they don't like you, they'll get up on your bed and do it in your face.
Oh, trust me, Cat's fart. The kicker is that mine give no indication that they've done anything. I don't notice until I lean down to pet them. At least the little one looks slightly ashamed when I comment on it. The old one doesn't seem to realize he did it.
I also had my friend's dog fart on my foot once. I laughed for about 20 minutes afterward, and she was sniffing me, wondering what was wrong with me.
TFNJ... my dog will pass gas, and it startles her, and she whips around to check out her butt, like.. "What just happened" after which she gets up and leaves quickly.
When our family is laying on the couch watching TV our dog will let a "silence-but-deadly" one rip.
I have greyhounds, and boy, can they clear a room! I have found it has a lot to do with their diet. We put sometimes put cooked rice in their food to stretch it a little bit, and that has a definite effect. We also sometimes put a little vegetable oil on their food if their coat is looking dry. That also has a definite influence, or is that inflatulence..... ;>)
To fart or not to fart, the question that has plagued generations, a fire in the hole after a meal at the local Mexican restaurant, let'er rippppppp!
Don't stick your nose in this guy's business.
So now everyone has to suffer because of his "medical condition" I don't agree that "many" have to suffer because of "one". Maybe they can relocate him somewhere where he works alone or close to an open window, but the government doesn't care about the majority anymore, like I said many people are made unconfortable just to make one feel better, how sad.
bet you think disabled people are annoying too.
At least put in an air uptake above his cube....
Well mindyabusiness, believe it or not, some disabled people are annoying. Just as the so called "normal" people. Especially if they're FARTING around you and not the least bit considerate enough to excuse themselves. Sorry if you're offended by this revelation, butt that's the way it is
Everybody farts. That being said, if someone does it so much and it stinks so bad, you gotta do something. We had a guy at work that would fart like a loaded pack-mule! Loud, long, and it stunk to high-heaven. It had nothing to do with disease or anything else. He enjoyed making folks miserable. However, we learned....payback is h*ll. Anytime someone had to fart, they went into his office and "got" him. He soon figured it out....sounds sophomoric (and it was) but it worked!
What about the poor people that have to work with this person. Don't they have any rights?
I believe he is politically correct and doesn't discriminate against the poor people in his office, hell he even let's um rip around the 1%!!
I used to have a coworker who was armed with SBDs, one was so bad once I called him on it, he replied "Wasn't me." I had to tell him you have to have at least people in the room or that excuse doesn't work. Can't say I miss working with guy.
Reprimand him? Are you kidding me? He personifies the federal government in action! I say we award him the medal of freedom--from a safe distance of course....
Some people are made for outdoor occupations.
I don't know about this one, though. People have been worried about how cow flatulation impacts the earth's climate. Can you imagine the damage this poor fellow might do?
Isn't this protected under the Second Amendment?
Good one. I bet the NRA will defend the "Right of every citizen to fart!"
I hear they want to put armed guards with Lysol in the schools if this farting gets out of hand in the elementary level schools.
Carry lighters around that guy. Or some sort of "fragrance" candle between your desk and his. LOL
Oooops, that should read 'at least three people in the room'.
You know......If this person has a PROBLEM, put them in an office by themselves and let the other people attempt to go thru the day.......imagine having to go to work every day (WHICH IS BAD ENOUGH) but then having to smell someones azz on top of it..........
I always say "Fart Proudly." Or was that Ben Franklin?
Actually Neil Armstrongs first words on the moon weren't "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind", they were "Jesus, I gotta learn not to fart in this space suit"!
Funny, but sad for the worker.
They could have arranged for him to work from home a couple of days a week.
This sounds like the norm for politicians in D.C.
We had a guy at work that went on the Slimfast diet for a month. Worst experience of my life. Every time he walked he tooted and I thought I'd die. Thank god he got to his weight goal, couldn't have taken another week of it.
Typical Fed supervisor. Nothing to do but bug some employee about his gas. How much money did this cost taxpayers to chronicle, attend the meetings , and discuss this "crap" amongst other managers (Too many of them no doubt ) Too much management, not enough leadership. PINHEADS
To quote Jim Carrey's buttocks: "For this, you will pay a terrible price!"